Throughout their 10-year career, We Came As Romans have played with their sound, veering from metal to emocore to punk over the course of three albums.
The fourth, self-titled effort is a departure from 2014’s John Feldmann-produced Tracing Back Roots – from the start, it’s clear that the six-piece are revisiting the slick, compressed sound seen on earlier records.
Fans of the punk-inspired riffs on the last album might find this latest release a little too bubblegum; melodies are the driving force, and a toe is oft dipped into the pop pool. The record begins with Regenerate, one of the heavier tracks, but the bitter, angry mood doesn’t last long. The World I Used To Know – a nostalgic lament, and the current single – is more representative of this synth-led, industrial-tinged record. Tear It Down is a heavier affair, and stands out for its driving rhythm and dark riffs. From there on out, it’s bouncy pop-rock with the odd injection of gritty riffs and unclean vocals. Blur and Saviour Of The Week in particular are produced-to-the-hilt, singalong fodder. Closing track 12.30 is a darker tune that’s definitely worth waiting for, but they might have gone a little too hard on the cheese factor here.
